5P0at  ©ffirp  ippartmpttl 


PARCEL  POST  INFORMATION. 


[The  numbered  sections  mentioned  in  this  pamphlet  refer  to  the  parcel  post  regulations,  a  copy  of  which 

may  be  consulted  at  any  post  office.] 


The  act  of  Congress  authorizing  the  establishment  of  a  parcel  post 
system  provides  that  on  and  after  January  1,  1913,  fourth  class  mail 
matter  shall  embrace  all  other  matter,  including  farm  and  factory 
products,  not  now  embraced  by  law  in  either  the  first,  second,  or 
third  class,  not  exceeding  11  pounds  in  weight  nor  greater  in  size 
than  72  inches  in  length  and  girth  combined,  nor  in  form  or  kind 
likely  to  injure  the  person  of  any  postal  employee  or  damage  the  mail 
equipment  or  other  mail  matter,  and  not  of  a  character  perishable 
within  a  period  reasonably  required  for  transportation  and  delivery. 


Table  of  rates. 


Weight. 

First  zone. 

Second 
zone, 
50  to 
150 
miles. 

Third 
zone, 
150  to 
300 
miles. 

Fourth 
zone, 
300  to 
600 
miles. 

Fifth 
zone, 
600  to 
1,000 
miles. 

Sixth 
zone, 
1,000  to 
1,400 
miles. 

Sev¬ 
enth 
zone, 
1,400  to 
1,800 
miles. 

Eighth 

zone, 

all 

over 

1,800 

miles. 

Local 

rate. 

Zone 
rate,  50 
miles. 

1  pound . 

$0.05 

$0.05 

$0.06 

$0.07 

$0.08 

$0.09 

$0. 10 

$0.11 

$0. 12 

2  pounds . 

.06 

.08 

.10 

.12 

.14 

.16 

.19 

.21 

.24 

3  poimds . 

.07 

.11 

.14 

.17 

.20 

.23 

.28 

.31 

.36 

4  pounds . 

.08 

.14 

.18 

.22 

.26 

.30 

.37 

.41 

.48 

5  pounds . 

.09 

.17 

.22 

.27 

.32 

.37 

.46 

.51 

.60 

6  pounds . 

.10 

.20 

.26 

.32 

.38 

.44 

.55 

.61 

.72 

7  pounds . 

.11 

.23 

.30 

.37 

.44 

.51 

.64 

.71 

.84 

8  pounds . 

.12 

.26 

.34 

.42 

.50 

.58 

.73 

.81 

.96 

9  poimds . 

.13 

.29 

.38 

.47 

.56 

.65 

.82 

.91 

1.08 

10  pounds . 

.14 

.32 

.42 

.52 

.62 

.72 

.91 

1.01 

1.20 

11  pounds . 

.15 

.35 

.46 

.57 

.68 

.79 

1.00 

1.11 

1.32 

The  local  rate  is  applicable  to  parcels  intended  for  delivery  at  the 
office  of  mailing  or  on  a  rural  route  starting  therefrom. 

70997°— 12 


2 


DISTINCTIVE  STAMPS. 

The  law  requires  that  on  and  after  January  1,  1913,  the  postage 
on  all  matter  of  the  fourth  class  must  be  prepaid  by  distinctive 
parcel  post  stamps  affixed  (see  sec.  3) .  Postmasters  can  not  receive 
for  mailing  parcels  that  do  not  bear  such  stamps. 

Parcel  post  stamps  are  not  valid  for  the  payment  of  postage  on 
matter  of  the  first,  second,  and  third  classes,  and,  when  used  for 
that  purpose,  the  matter  to  which  they  are  affixed  shall  be  treated 
as  ‘^Held  for  postage,”  as  prescribed  in  section  9. 

PREPARATION  FOR  MAILING. 

Parcels  must  be  prepared  for  mailing  in  such  manner  that  the 
contents  can  be  easily  examined.  (See  secs.  19  to  37,  inclusive.) 

A  parcel  must  not  be  accepted  for  mailing  unless  it  bears  the 
name  and  address  of  the  sender,  preceded  by  the  word  ‘^From.” 

Postmasters  will  refuse  to  receive  for  mailing  parcels  not  properly 
indorsed  or  packed  for  safe  shipment. 

WHERE  MAILABLE. 

Parcels  must  be  mailed  at  a  post  office,  branch  post  office,  named 
or  lettered  station,  or  such  numbered  stations  as  may  be  designated 
by  the  postmaster,  or  delivered  to  a  rural  or  other  carrier  duly  author¬ 
ized  to  receive  such  matter. 

Parcels  collected  on  star  routes  must  be  deposited  in  the  next  post 
office  at  which  the  carrier  arrives  and  postage  charged  at  the  rate 
from  that  office. 

INSURANCE  ON  PARCELS. 

A  mailable  parcel  on  which  the  postage  is  fully  prepaid  may  be  in¬ 
sured  against  loss  in  an  amount  equivalent  to  its  actual  value,  but  not 
to  exceed  $50,  on  payment  of  a  fee  of  10  cents  in  parcel  post  stamps, 
such  stamps  to  be  affixed. 

UNMAILABLE  MATTER. 

The  following  matter  is  declared  nonmailable  by  law  (see  secs.  211, 
212  and  217  of  the  Criminal  Code  of  the  United  States,  approved 
Mar.  4,  1909) : 


3 


1.  Matter  manifestly  obscene,  lewd,  or  lascivious;  articles  intended 
for  preventing  conception  or  for  procuring  abortion;  articles  intended 
for  indecent  or  immoral  purposes;  all  matter  otherwise  mailable 
by  law,  the  outside  cover  or  wrapper  of  which  bears  any  delineations 
or  language  of  a  libelous,  scurrilous,  defamatory,  or  threatening 
character. 

Sphituous,  vinous,  malted,  fermented,  or  other  intoxicating 
liquors  of  any  kind;  poisons  of  every  kind,  and  articles  and  composi¬ 
tions  containing  poison  (except  as  prescribed  in  sec.  19);  poisonous 
animals,  insects  and  reptiles;  explosives  of  every  kind;  inflammable 
materials  (which  are  held  to  include  matches,  kerosene  oil,  gasoline, 
naphtha,  benzine,  turpentine,  denatured  alcohol,  etc.);  infernal 
machines,  and  mechanical,  chemical,  or  other  devices  or  compositions 
which  may  ignite  or  explode;  disease  germs  or  scabs  (except  as  pre¬ 
scribed  in  sec.  36);  and  other  natural  or  artificial  articles,  composi¬ 
tions,  or  materials  of  whatever  kind  which  may  kill  or  in  any  wise 
injure  another  or  damage  the  mail  or  other  property. 

Pistols  or  revolvers,  whether  in  detached  parts  or  otherwise;  live 
or  dead  (and  not  stuffed)  animals,  birds,  or  poultry  (except  as  pre¬ 
scribed  in  secs.  29  and  34);  raw  hides  or  pelts,  guano,  or  any  article 
having  a  bad  odor  shall  not  be  admitted  to  the  mails. 

A  parcel  post  map  and  guide  for  determiiiing  postage  rates  may  be  obtained  by 
remitting  75  cents  by  money  order  to  the  chief  clerk,  Post  Office  Department,  Wash¬ 
ington,  D.  C. 

Be  careful  to  specify  the  city  or  town  where  the  map  is  to  be  used. 

Further  information  may  be  obtained  at  any  post  office. 

o 

WASHINGTON  :  GOVERNMENT  PRINTING  OFFICE  :  1912 


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)Oth  Cong 

1st  Session 


SENATE. 


(Document 
)  No.  366. 


>ATA  KELATIVE  TO  PROPOSED  EXTENSION  OF  PAR¬ 
CEL  POST. 


Mr.  Burnham  presented  the  following 

)ATA  RELATIVE  TO  THE  PROPOSED  EXTENSION  OF  THE  PARCEL 

POST. 


March  6,  1908. — Referred  to  the  Committee  ou  Post-Offices  and  Post-Roads 

and  ordered  to  be  printed. 


Office  of  the  Postmaster-General, 

Washington,  D.  C.,  March  1908, 

My  Dear  Senator:  It  affords  me  great  pleasure,  in  compliance 
[with  your  request,  to  place  at  your  disposal  the  data  which  are  avail- 
:able  relative  to  the  proposed  extension  of  the  parcel  post. 

It  does  not  appear  to  be  generally  appreciated  that  a  comprehensive 
[system  of  parcel  post  is  already  in  satisfactory  operation  in  most 
I  foreign  countries.  Exhibit  No.  1  gives  detailed  information  on  this 
; subject.  I  show  here  the  limit  of  weight  which  has  been  fixed  in  a 
[number  of  instances: 


Italy 


Pounds. 

11 

Npw  Zpalanrl 

Pounds. 

11 

110 

22 

Austria 

Rpilginni 

.  .  110 
ia2 

11 

The  Netherlands 

11 

11 

Cuba 

11 

The  rates  in  the  countries  mentioned  are  much  lower  than  those 
[shown  in  Exhibit  No.  2,  which  have  been  recommended  for  the  general 
parcel  post  in  the  United  States. 

The  present  rate  on  the  general  parcel  post  is  16  cents  a  pound  for 
people  in  our  owm  country,  the  limit  of  weight  being  4  pounds,  while 
the  rate  from  the  United  States  to  29  foreign  countries  is  12  cents  a 
pound  and  the  limit  of  weight  to  24  of  these  countries  is  11  pounds. 
In  other  words,  our  own  people  must  pay  4  cents  a  pound  more  for 
|the  privilege  of  dispatching  packages  to  each  other  than  when  destined 
to  residents  of  a  foreign  country.  I  have  therefore  urged  a  rate  of  12 
cents  a  pound  for  packages  forwarded  through  the  mails  to  post- 
offices  in  the  United  States  and  its  possessions,  subject  to  the  same 
regulations  as  exist  at  the  present  time,  with  the  exception  of  increas¬ 
ing  the  weight  limit  to  11  pounds.  The  service  can  be  rendered  at  a 
cost  well  within  the  rates  recommended. 


2 


PROPOSED  EXTENSION  OF  PARCEL  POST. 


According  to  the  Report  of  the  Record  of  Weight  of  Second-class 
Mail  Matter,  transmitted  by  the  Post-Office  Department  to  the  House 
of  Representatives  under  date  of  February  1, 1907,  the  average  haul  of 
all  second-class  matter  was  540  miles. 

Of  the  total  receipts  of  the  Post-Office  Department,  69  per  cent  are 
expended  for  labor  and  supplies,  and  7  per  cent  for  conversance 
charges  other  than  those  paid  the  railroads  for  transporting  the  mail. 
A  general  rate  for  parcel  post  of  12  cents  a  pound  would  produce  a 
revenue  of  $240  a  ton.  Even  on  the  basis  of  a  540-mile  average  haul, 
I  find  the  debit  and  credit  sides  of  1  ton  of  parcel  post  to  be  as 
follows : 


By  postage _ _ _ ,$240.  00 

To  railroad  transportatiou,  540  miles,  at  51  cents _ $29.  70 

Other  transportation  charges.. _  16.  80 

Labor  and  supplies _ ^ _ _ 1 _ ! 165.' 60 


Total  cost _ 1 _  212.10 


Profit  _  27. 90 


A  local  parcel  post  confined  to  rural  delivery  routes  is  also  advo¬ 
cated  at  the  rates  given  in  Exhibit  No.  3.  The  Department  favors 
the  establishment  of  this  special  service  because  of  its  ability  to  ren¬ 
der  it  with  great  advantage  to  the  farmer,  the  country  merchant,  and 
other  patrons  of  the  routes,  as  the  necessary  machinery  (over  38,000 
routes  noAV  regularly  covered  by  rural  carriers)  is  in  operation. 
There  are  some  15,000,000  people  living  on  these  routes,  which  shows 
the  vast  possibilities  of  the  rural  service.  It  has  been  estimated  that 
if  but  three  packages  of  the  maximum  Aveight  were  handled  each  trip 
on  the  rural  routes  now  established  the  resulting  revenue,  even  at 
the  low  rates  given,  would  more  than  wipe  out  the  postal  deficit.  The 
increased  cancellations  Avould  automatically  adA^ance  the  salaries  of 
postmasters  of  the  fourth  class,  and  the  remaining  revenue,  Avhich 
Avould  be  clear  gain,  would  be  of  great  assistance  in  making  the  rural 
serAuce  self-sustaining.  The  rural  service  will,  in  all  probability,  cost 
the  Government  this  year  $34,000,000,  an  increase  of  $10,000,000  over 
last  year. 

The  history  and  adA^antages  of  the  rural  deliA^ery  should  be  under¬ 
stood  by  our  people.  There  is  a  feeling  in  many  quarters  that  it  is 
an  extravagance  and  an  unnecessary  drain  upon  the  postal  revenues. 
The  first  rural  route  was  established  in  the  latter  part  of  1896,  $14,840 
being  expended  for  rural  deliA^ery  during  that  fiscal  year.  At  that 
time  the  postal  deficit  was  $ll,4li,779.  During  the  fiscal  year  ended 
June  30,  1907,  the  expenditures  for  rural  delivery  aggregated  $26,- 
671,699,  AAdiile  the  postal  deficit  shoAved  a  decrease,  as  compared 
Avith  1897,  of  $4,800,000,  the  deficit  amounting  to  $6,653,282.  This 
Avould  seem  to  show  that  Avdiile  the  expense  incurred  for  maintain¬ 
ing  rural  deliA^ery  is  great,  yet  the  rural  delivery  has  been  instru¬ 
mental  in  increasing  the  general  postal  receipts.  HoweA^er,  its  bene¬ 
fits  to  our  people  can  not  be  measured  in  dollars  and  cents. 

That  a  local  parcel  post  Avould  be  of  material  advantage  to  the 
retail  merchant  in  competition- Avith  mail-order  houses  is  seen  at  once 
AAben  it  is  pointed  out  that  the  latter,  at  the  proposed  general  parcel 
post  rate  of  12  cents  a  pound,  would  be  obliged  to  pay  $1.32  for 


PROPOSED  EXTENSION  OF  PARCEL  POST. 


3 


^  sending  an  11-ponnd  package  to  a  rural  route  patron,  a  difference  in 
favor  of  the  local  storekeeper  of  about  10  cents  a  pound,  or  $1.07  on 
Clan  11-pound  package. 

Letters  and  petitions  for  the  extension  of  the  parcel  post  are  being 
received  from  all  sections  of  the  country.  Many  commercial  bodies 
formerly  opposed  to  any  action  of  this  kind  are  on  record  as  being 
heartily  in  favor  of  it. 

On  the  other  hand,  objections  have  been  raised  to  the  measures  the 
Department  is  advocating.  Although  no  sound  argument  has  been 
advanced  in  opposition,  the  contentions  which  have  been  made  are 
not  without  interest.  I  mention  the  more  important  of  them,  at  the 
same  time  giving  the  replies  which  the^  have  elicited : 

It  has  been  stated  that  the  Department  is  not  equipped  to  deliver 
11-pound  parcels  received  in  the  general  mails.  The  present  postal 
regulations  provide  that  where  a  package  is  of  undue  size  or  weight 
a  formal  notice  shall  be  sent  the  addressee  requesting  him  to  call  for 
it.  This  practice  would  continue  were  the  weight  limit  increased 
to  11  pounds,  in  the  case  of  offices  having  free  delivery.  Nor  would 
it  work  a  hardship,  for  under  the  present  limit  of  4  pounds  the  aver¬ 
age  weight  of  parcels  sent  through  the  mails  is  but  one-third  of  a 
pound.  Increasing  the  weight  limit  would  not  have  nearly  as  great 
an  effect  on  the  average  Aveight  of  parcels  mailed  as  seems  to  be  com¬ 
monly  supposed.  Where  packages  were  addressed  to  persons  living 
on  rural  routes  they  would,  of  course,  be  delivered  to  the  boxes  of  the 
patrons  by  rural  carriers,  who  Avould  not  thereby  be  inconvenienced. 

The  claim  that  the  special  local  rate  recommended  for  the  parcel 
post  on  rural  routes  Avould  eA^entually  be  extended  to  include  the 
entire  postal  ser\dce  has  been  given  considerable  publicity.  The  im¬ 
possibility  of  this  becomes  apparent  Avhen  attention  is  directed  to  the 
cost  of  railroad  transportation,  which  has  no  part  in  the  former  ser\^- 
ice.  About  $45,000,000  were  paid  last  year  for  mail  transportation 
and  $6,000,000  for  postal  cars. 

Others  have  said  that  large  mail-order  houses  would,  under  the 
proposed  law,  utilize  the  special  parcel  post  or  rural  routes  through 
agents  to  the  great  disadvantage  of  the  country  merchant,  first  assem¬ 
bling  their  orders  and  dispatching  them  by  express  or  freight  to  suit¬ 
able  distributing  points.  The  Department  has  recommended  pro¬ 
visions  which  will  prevent  any  such  use  of  the  routes.  It  should  be 
remembered,  too,  that  eA^en  in  the  absence  of  a  specific  prohibition  of 
this  nature,  any  systematic  attempt  upon  the  part  of  a  mail-order 
house  to  thus  distribute  its  Avares  Avould  necessitate  the  employment 
of  many  thousands  of  local  representati\"es.  The  catalogues  of  these 
concerns  indicate  in  no  uncertain  Avay  that  they  attribute  their  suc¬ 
cess,  in  large  measure,  to  their  Ioav  selling  expense,  and  that  the  ab¬ 
sence  of  any  sort  of  agents  is  the  principal  feature  of  their  argument 
in  accounting  for  the  supposedly  Ioav  prices  of  their  goods. 

The  cry  of  “  class  legislation  ”  has  been  raised.  There  is,  of  course, 
no  discrimination  involved,  for  all  Avho  can  be  reached  by  rural  car¬ 
riers  Avill  be  accommodated.  It  would  be  as  reasonable  to  decry  the 
laws  which  permit  the  delivery  of  mail  to  patrons  living  on  rural 
routes,  Avhile  persons  differently  situated  are  obliged  to  make  a  trip 
to  a  near-by  post-office  to  obtain  their  letters. 


30147 


PROPOSED  EXTENSION  OF  PARCEL  POST. 


Those  who  claim  that  an  increase  in  the  weight  limit  would  work 
an  injury  to  country  merchants  appear  to  have  the  impression  that 
mail-order  houses  now  deliver  their  goods  extensively  through  the 
postal  service,  and  that  this  practice  would  largely  increase  if  the 
recommendations  which  have  been  made  become  law.  Upon  a  mo¬ 
ment’s  reflection  it  will  be  perceived  that  the  present  rate  of  16  cents 
a  pound  ($16  per  hundredweight),  as  well  as  the  proposed  rate  of 
12  cents  a  pound  ($12  per  hundredweight),  are  alike  prohibitive  on 
practically  all  lines  of  merchandise.  Mail-order  houses  make  their 
shipments  usually  by  freight  or  express  and  would  continue  to  do  so. 

Antagonism  to  the  proposed  measures,  when  analyzed  and  found 
not  to  be  the  result  of  selfish  motives,  appears  to  be  based  upon  in¬ 
accurate  or  insufficient  information.  In  illustration,  I  desire  to  invite 
attention  to  a  communication  of  the  Richmond  Commercial  Club,  of 
Richmond,  Ind.,  which  appeared  in  the  Congressional  Record  of 
January  4,  1908.  In  this  letter  the  statement  was  made  that  a  cer¬ 
tain  mail-order  house  would  save  $40,000  a  year  on  the  mailing  of 
catalogues  alone.  Catalogues  are  rated  as  third-class  matter,  where¬ 
as  the  Department’s  recommendations  with  respect  to  parcel  post 
relate  to  fourth-class  matter  only.  Catalogues  are  now  mailable  at 
1  cent  for  2  ounces,  or  8  cents  a  pound,  4  cents  a  pound  less  than  the 
rate  proposed  for  the  general  parcel  post.  The  mail-  order  house  re¬ 
ferred  to,  therefore,  would  gain  nothing  under  the  proposed  law  in 
the  mailing  of  its  catalogues. 

With  the  adoption  of  new  conveniences  of  life  by  urban  residents, 
and  the  ever-increasing  attractions  of  the  city,  especially  potent  in 
their  influence  upon  the, younger  generation,  the  importance  of  afford¬ 
ing  farmers  and  ruralites  generally  every  legitimate  advantage  be¬ 
comes  more  and  more  apparent.  The  free  rural  delivery  has  improved 
materially  and  intellectually  the  life  of  great  numbers  or  these 
people.  Is  it  too  much  to  ask  that  the  Department  shall  make  a 
further  use  of  this  important  system ;  a  use  Avhich,  while  adding  ap¬ 
preciably  to  the  postal  revenues,  wdll  directly  and  vitally  benefit  every 
man,  woman,  and  child  within  reach  of  a  rural  route  ?  The  country¬ 
man  would  have  the  necessities  of  life  delivered  at  his  gate  at  an 
average  cost  of  2  cents  a  pound,  thereby  facilitating  and  increasing 
consumption.  This  would  mean  augmentation  of  the  trade  of  thou- 
1  sands  of  country  merchants.  The  commercial  traveler  should  ap¬ 
preciate  the  advantages  of  this  system ;  it  would  increase  his  orders 
pecause  the  country  merchant  buys  from  the  jobber  or  the  wholesaler. 
Every  component  part  of  our  commercial  system  would  feel  the  ef¬ 
fects  of  an  increased  prosperity. 

It  would  inevitably  tend  toward  the  improvement  of  the  roads. 
Better  roads  and  improved  postal  facilities  in  the  rural  districts 
would  result  in  increased  values  of  farm  lands.  The  rural  service  as 
now  organized  has  accomplished  something  in  this  direction;  its  en¬ 
largement  will  add  to  the  good  attained. 

Believe  me,  faithfully  yours, 

G.  V.  L.  Meyer. 


Hon.  Henry  E.  Burnham, 

United  States  Senate^  W ashington. 


PROPOSED  EXTENSION  OP  PARCEL  POST. 


5 


Exhibit  1. 

PARCEL  POST  RATES  IN  THE  DOMESTIC  SERVICE  OF  THE  COUNTRIES  NAMED. 

Great  Britain. — Postage  rates  for  the  first  pound,  3  pence  (6  cents),  and  for 
each  additional  pound,  1  penny  (2  cents)  ;  maximum  weight,  11  pounds;  great¬ 
est  length,  3  feet  6  inches ;  greatest  length  and  girth  combined,  6  feet. 

^ew  Zealand  and  the  States  Composing  the  Commonwealth  for  Australia. — 
Limits  of  weight  and  size,  same  as  in  Great  Britain.  Postage  rates,  6  pence 
(12  cents)  for  the  first  pound,  and  3  pence  (6  cents)  for  each  additional  pound. 

Germany. — Greatest  weight,  50  kilograms  (about  110  pounds)  ;  no  limit  of 
size.  Postage  rates :  For  all  parcels  conveyed  not  more  than  10  geographic 
miles,  25  pfennig  (6  cents),  and  50  pfennig  (13  cents)  for  greater  distance;  if 
a  parcel  weighs  more  than  5  kilograms  (11  pounds  av.),  it  is  charged  for  each 
additional  kilogram  (2  pounds)  carried  10  miles,  5  pfennig  (1  cent)  ;  20  miles, 
10  pfennig  (3  cents)  ;  50  miles,  20  pfennig  (5  cents)  ;  100  miles,  30  pfennig 
(8  cents)  ;  150  miles,  40  pfennig  (10  cents)  ;  and  more  than  150  miles,  50 
pfennig  (13  cents).  Unwieldy  parcels  are  charged  in  addition  50  per  cent  of 
the  above  rates. 

Austria. — Greatest  weight,  50  kilograms  (110  pounds)  ;  except  that  parcels 
containing  gold  or  silver  coin  may  weigh  up  to  65  kilograms  (143  pounds). 
Postage  rates:  Parcels  up  to  5  kilograms  (11  pounds)  in  weight  are  charged 
30  heller  (6  cents)  for  the  first  10  miles,  and  60  heller  (12  cents)  for  greater 
distances.  A  parcel  weighing  more  than  5  kilograms  (11  pounds)  is  charged 
for  each  kilogram  (2  pounds G  in  addition  to  the  above  rates,  for  the  first  10 
miles,  6  heller  (1  cent)  ;  20  miles,  12  heller  (2  cents)  ;  50  miles,  24  heller  (5 
cents)  ;  100  miles,  36  heller  (7  cents)  ;  150  miles,  48  heller  (10  cents),  and  more 
than  150  miles,  60  heller  (12  cents). 

France. — Greatest  weight  10  kilograms  (about  22  pounds)  ;  no  limit  of  size. 
Postage  rates:  Up  to  3  kilograms  (7  pounds),  60  centimes  (12  cents)  delivered 
at  the  railway  station,  and  85  centimes  (17  cents)  delivered  at  a  residence; 
from  3  to  5  kilograms  (7  to  11  pounds),  80  centimes  (16  cents)  at  a  station, 
and  1  franc  5  centimes  (21  cents)  at  residence;  from  5  to  10  kilograms  (11  to 
22  pounds),  1  franc  25  centimes  (25  cents)  at  a  station,  and  1  franc  50  cen¬ 
times  (30  cents)  at  a  residence. 

Belgium. — Greatest  weight  60  kilograms  (about  132  pounds)  ;  no  limit  of 
size,  but  unwieldy  parcels  are  charged  50  per  cent  in  addition  to  the  foilow- 
ing  rates  for  any  distance:  Parcels  up  to  5  kilograms  (11  pounds),  50  centimes 
(10  cents) — or  if  by  express  trains,  80  centimes  (16  cents)  ;  up  to  10  kilograms 
(22  pounds),  60  centimes  (12  cents) — or  if  by  express  trains,  1  franc  (20  cents)  ; 
for  each  additional  10  kilograms  (22  pounds),  10  centimes  (2  cents) — or  if  sent 
by  express  trains,  50  centimes  (10  cents)  additional.  Fee  for  delivering  at 
residences,  30  centimes  (6  cents). 

Italy. — Greatest  weight,  5  kilograms  (11  pounds).  For  ordinary  parcels, 
greatest  size  in  any  direction,  60  centimeters  (2  feet),  except  rolls  which 
may  measure  1  meter  (40  inches — 3  feet  4  inches)  in  length  by  20  centimeters 
(8  inches)  in  thickness.  Postage  rates  for  a  parcel  not  exceeding  3  kilograms 
(7  pounds),  60  centimes  (12  cents)  ;  and  1  franc  (20  cents)  for  a  parcel  exceed¬ 
ing  that  weight.  A  parcel  which  exceeds  60  centimeters  (2  feet)  in  any  direc¬ 
tion,  but  does  not  exceed  IJ  meters  (5  feet),  is  admitted  to  the  mails  as  an  “  un¬ 
wieldy  ”  parcel  and  is  charged,  in  addition  to  the  above  rates,  .30  centimes 
(6  cents)  if  it  does  not  weigh  more  than  3  kilograms  (7  pounds),  and  50  cen¬ 
times  (10  cents)  if  it  exceeds  that  weight. 

The  N etherlands. — Greatest  weight,  5  kilograms  -(11  pounds)  ;  greatest  size, 
25  cubic  decimeters  (1,.525  cubic  inches),  or  1  meter  (3  feet  4  inches)  in  any 
direction.  Postage  rates:  15  (6)  cents  (Dutch)  up  to  1  kilogram  (2  pounds)  ; 
20  (8)  cents  from  1  to  3  kilograms  (2  to  7  pounds)  ;  25  cents  (10)  from  3  to 
5  kilograms  (7  to  11  pounds). 

Chile. — Greatest  weight,  5  kilograms  (11  pounds)  ;  must  not  measure  more 
than  60  centimeters  (2  feet)  in  any  direction.  Postage  rates:  30  centavos  (10 
cents)  if  a  parcel  does  not  weigh  more  than  3  kilograms  (7  pounds)  ;  50  cen¬ 
tavos  (17  cenis)  if  it  weighs  more. 

Cuba. — Greatest  weight,  11  pounds;  greatest  size,  3  feet  6  inches  in  length 
by  2  feet  6  incnes  in  width.  Postage  rates:  10  centavos  (10  cents)  a  pound  up 
to  5  pounds;  and  6  centavos  (6  cents)  for  each  additional  pound. 


6 


PROPOSED  EXTEInSION  OF  PARCEL  POST. 


Exhibit  2. 

• 

Rates  recommended  by  the  Postmaster-General  in  his  annual  report  (year 
ended  June  30,  1907)  for  packages  forwarded  through  the  mails  to  post-offices 
in  the  United  States  and  its  possessions,  subject  to  the  regulations  which  exist 
at  the  present  time,  with  the  exception  of  increasing  the  weight  limit  to  11 


pounds. 

Cents. 

One  ounce _  1 

Over  1  ounce  and  not  exceeding  3  ounces _ ^ _  2 

Over  3  ounces  and  not  exceeding  4  ounces _  3 

Over  4  ounces  and  not  exceeding  5  ounces _ 4 

Over  5  ounces  and  not  exceeding  6  ounces _  ,5 

Over  6  ounces  and  not  exceeding  8  ounces _ i _  6 

Over  8  ounces  and  not  exceeding  12  ounces _ , _  9 

Over  12  ounces  and  not  exceeding  16  ounces _  -12 


Exhibit  3. 


Rates  recommended  by  the  Postmaster-General  in  his  annual  report  (fiscal 
year  ended  June  30,  1907)  for  packages  covered  by  the  special  local  parcel  post 
on  rural  delivery  routes. 

Cents. 


For  the  first  pound _ 

For  each  additional  pound,  up  to  11  pounds 
For  fractional  parts  of  a  pound : 

Two  ounces  or  less _ 

Over  2  ounces  and  up  to  4  ounces _ 

Over  4  and  up  to  8  ounces _ 

Over  8  and  up  to  12  ounces _ 

Over  12  ounces  and  up  to  1  pound _ 


5 

2 

1 

2 

3 

4 


Exhibit  4. 

In  the  Senate  of  the  United  States  February  10,  1908,  Mr.  Kean  introduced 
the  following  bill,  which  was  read  twice  and  referred  to  the  Committee  on  Post- 
Offices  and  Post-Roads: 

[S.  5115,  Sixtieth  Congress,  first  session.] 

A  Bill  to  increase  the  limit  of  weight  of  fourth-class  mail  matter,  to  amend  the  postage 

rates  chargeable  thereon,  and  for  other  purposes. 

Be  it  enacted,  etc.,  That  parcels  of  merchandise  or  other  matter  not  embraced 
in  the  first,  second,  or  third  class  of  mail  matter,  and  not  exceeding  eleven 
pounds  in  weight,  shall,  subject  to  the  provisions  of  existing  law  governing 
matter  of  the  fourth  class,  except  as  hereby  amended,  be  admitted  to  the  mails 
as  such  matter  at  the  following  rates  of  postage:  One  ounce,  one  cent;  over 
one  ounce  and  not  exceeding  three  ounces,  two  cents ;  over  three  ounces  and  not 
exceeding  four  ounces,  three  cents;  over  four  ounces  and  not  exceeding  five 
ounces,  four  cents;  over  five  ounces  and  not  exceeding  six  ounces,  five  cents; 
over  six  ounces  and  not  exceeding  eight  ounces,  six  cents;  over  eight  ounces 
and  not  exceeding  twelve  ounces,  nine  cents ;  and  over  twelve  ounces  and  not 
exceeding  sixteen  ounces,  twelve  cents. 


Exhibit  5. 

In  the  Senate  of  the  United  States  February  10,  1908,  Mr.  Burnham  intro¬ 
duced  the  following  bill,  which  was  read  twice  and  referred  to  the  Committee  on 
Post-Offices  and  Post-Roads: 

[S.  5122,  Sixtieth  Congress,  first  session.] 

A  Bill  to  provide  a  rural  delivery  parcel  post  for  merchandise  and  other  articles  mailed 

on  rural  delivery  routes,  and  for  other  purposes. 

Be  it  enacted,  etc..  That  the  Postmaster-General  is  authorized,  under  such 
regulations  as  he  may  prescribe,  to  establish  a  domestic  rural  parcel  post  at 


PROPOSED  EXTENSION  OF  PARCEL  POST. 


7 


special  rates  of  postage,  for  the  delivery  on  rural  delivery  routes,  of  foodstuffs 
(including  groceries,  provisions,  meats,  fruits,  and  vegetables),  dry  goods, 
drugs,  books,  and  other  merchandise,  unless  the  same  shall  be  unmailable 
under  this  act  or  any  other  act  as  hereby  amended. 

Sec.  2.  That  such  special  rates  of  postage  on  such  parcels  of  merchandise 
shall  be  five  cents  for  the  first  pound  and  two  cents  for  each  additional  pound 
or  fractional  part  thereof,  and  on  parcels  weighing  less  than  one  pound  as  fol¬ 
lows  ;  Two  ounces  or  less,  one  cent ;  over  two  ounces  and  not  exceeding  four 
ounces,  two  cents ;  over  four  ounces  and  not  exceeding  eight  ounces,  three  cents ; 
over  eight  ounces  and  not  exceeding  twelve  ounces,  four  cents;  and  over 
twelve  ounces  and  not  exceeding  one  pound,  five  cents ;  Provided,  That  such 
postage  shall  be  prepaid  by  ordinary  postage  stamps  affixed  to  such  parcels, 
and  that  the  character  of  such  matter  shall  be  indicated  by  the  words  “  Rural 
Parcel  Post,”  stamped  on  each  of  such  parcels  by  the  postmaster  or  rural  car¬ 
rier  receiving  it ;  Provided  further,  That  the  establishment  of  such  rural  par¬ 
cel  post  and  special  postage  rates  shall  not  in  any  wise  affect  the  mailing  of 
or  postage  rate  on  packages  of  third  and  fourth  class  matter,  except  within  the 
limitations  stated  :  Provided  further.  That  nothing  herein  contained  shall  be 
taken  as  authorizing  the  acceptance  or  delivery  at  the  special  rates  of  postage 
herein  provided  of  any  parcel  offered  by  any  person  acting  as  agent  or  repre¬ 
sentative,  upon  commission  or  otherwise,  for  any  person  or  company  not  resi¬ 
dent  on  such  rural  delivery  route:  And  p7'ovided  further.  That  only  such  par¬ 
cels  shall  be  received  for  delivery  at  the  special  rates  of  postage  herein  provided 
as  are  offered  by  bona  fide  merchants  or  dealers  whose  regular  places  of  busi¬ 
ness  are  on  rural  delivery  routes  covered  by  this  Act,  in  the  ordinary  and 
regular  course  of  their  business,  and  by  residents  on  such  routes  in  their  indi¬ 
vidual  capacity. 

Sec.  3.  That  parcels  covered  by  said  special  postage  rates  and  deliverable  by 
said  rural  parcel  post  under  this  Act  shall  not  exceed  eleven  pounds  in  weight, 
three  feet  six  inches  in  length,  or  six  feet  in  length  and  girth  combined,  and 
such  parcels  shall  conform  to  the  Postal  Laws  and  Regulations  concerning 
mailability,  except  as  they  are  modified  by  this  Act  and  regulations  promul¬ 
gated  in  pursuance  thereof. 

Sec.  4.  That  perishable  articles  of  food  submitted  for  mailing  under  said 
rural  parcel  post  shall  not  be  accepted  by  postmasters  or  rural  delivery  carriers 
more  than  three  hours  before  the  departure  of  the  mail,  and  then  only  at  the 
risk  of  the  sender,  and  the  postmaster  or  rural  carrier  shall  stamp  or  note  on 
any  such  parcels  the  time  of  acceptance  and  of  transmittal,  and  the  words  “At 
the  sender’s  risk.” 

Sec.  5.  That'the  provisions  of  this  Act  shall  apply  only  to  parcels  mailed  on 
and  addressed  to  rural  delivery  routes,  as  follows : 

(1)  From  the  post-oflice  or  station  from  which  one  or  more  rural  delivery 
routes  emanate  to  any  intermediate  post-office  or  to  any  patron  on  any  of  said 
routes  emanating  from  said  post-office  or  station  and  supplied  by  rural  carrier. 

(2)  From  any  intermediate  post-office  on  any  rural  delivery  route  to  the  post- 
offlce  or  station  from  which  said  route  emanates,  or  to  any  intermediate  post- 
office,  or  to  any  patron  on  that  or  any  other  rural  route  emanating  from  said 
post-office  or  station  and  supplied  by  rural  carrier. 

(3)  From  any  patron  on  any  rural  delivery  route  to  the  post-office  or  station 
from  which  said  route  emanates,  or  to  any  patron  or  intermediate  post-office 
on  that  or  any  other  rural  delivery  route  emanating  from  said  post-office  or 
station  and  supplied  by  rural  carrier :  Provided,  That  in  all  cases  where,  under 
this  Act,  parcels  are  mailed  at  a  post-office  on  a  rural  route  which  emanates 
from  a  station  of  such  post-office,  such  parcels  shall  be  offered  for  mailing  at 
such  station;  and  in  all  cases  where  parcels  mailed  under  this  Act  are  ad¬ 
dressed  to  a  post-office  on  a  rural  route  terminating  at  a  station  of  such  post- 
office,  such  parcels  shall  be  delivered  to  addressees  at  such  station,  and  in  the 
latter  case  addressees  shall  call  or  send  for  such  parcels. 

Sec.  6.  That  the  proviso  in  the  Act  of  April  twenty-eighth,  nineteen  hundred 
and  four,  chapter  seventeen  hundred  and  fifty-nine  (Thirty-third  Statutes,  page 
four  hundred  and  forty),  relative  to  the  transportation  of  merchandise  by  rural 
carriers  for  patrons,  is  hereby  repealed. 

Sec.  7.  That  seeds,  cuttings,  bulbs,  roots,  scions,  and  plants,  when  mailed 
under  this  Act,  shall  be  chargeable  with  the  postage  rates  and  subject  to  the 
limit  of  weight  herein  provided. 

Sec.  8.  That  all  provisions  of  law  applicable  to  the  third  and  fourth  classes 
of  mail  matter,  and  all  provisions  of  law  applicable  generally  to  mail  matter, 
and  not  inconsistent  with  the  provisions  of  this  Act,  are  hereby  extended  and 


8 


PROPOSED  EXTENSION  OF  PARCEL  POST. 


made  applicable  to  matter  of  like  character  mailable  under  this  Act :  Provided, 
That  matter  so  mailable  shall  be  subject  to  the  rates  of  postage  and  the  limita¬ 
tion  of  weight  herein  provided. 


Exhibit  6. 

From  The  Boston  Herald. 

MEYER  WILL  WAGE  ACTIVE  CAMPAIGN  FOR  PARCELS  POST — HAS  STARTED  MACHINERY 
FOR  HIS  REFORM  AND  WILL  MAKE  GREAT  EFFORT  TO  AROUSE  AND  EDUCATE  PUBLIC 
SENTIMENT  IN  ITS  FAVOR  BEFORE  CONGRESS  CONVENES — AMERICA  SHOULD  CATCH 
UP  WITH  PROCESSION — TALKS  ABOUT  PLANS  FOR  THE  HERALD — Rf:SUM6  OF  THE 
OPERATION  OF  SYSTEM  IN  EUROPEAN  COUNTRIES,  THE  COST  OF  TRANSPORTATION, 
AND  BENEFITS  WHICH  ACCRUE. 

[By  Ernest  G.  Walker.] 

Washington,  D.  C.,  October  13,  1907. 

Postmaster-General  George  v.  L.  Meyer,  in  his  speech  at  Boston  Satur¬ 
day  upon  his  plan  for  a  parcels  post,  has  started  the  machinery  for  his  reform 
with  all  the  acumen  of  an  old  campaigner.  He  is  going  to  put  the  matter 
squarely  up  to  the  people  before  Congress  comes  on  the  scene. 

Quick  and  cheap  transport  for  more  of  the  innumerable  small  packages  that 
Americans  have  to  exchange  is  to  be  the  dominant  issue  of  a  good  business 
administration  of  the  Post-Office  Department.  By  and  by  Mr.  Meyer  is  going 
out  to  make  more  speeches  at  places  where  they  will  do  the  most  good  for 
the  cause.  He  wants  to  arouse  and  educate  public  sentiment. 

The  parcels  post  is  not  an  exceedingly  attractive  subject  to  everybody.  Prob¬ 
ably  hundreds  of  thousands  of  people  who  patronize  the  United  States  mails 
have  never  thought  seriously  about  what  a  parcels  post  is,  although  it  enters 
tremendously  into  the  domestic,  commercial,  and  industrial  economics  of  the 
world.  It  is  a  vehicle  for  the  carriage  of  billions  of  dollars  of  values  annually. 
Admittedly  the  United  States  is  far  behind  the  procession.  And  yet  the  readi¬ 
ness  with  which  a  few  pounds  of  a  given  article  can  be  moved  from  Washington 
to  Boston,  or  from  town  to  town  between  the  two  great  oceans,  means  a  vast  deal 
to  the  convenience  as  well  as  to  the  pocketbooks  of  a  great  number  of  people. 

European  countries  employ  the  machinery  of  the  posts  in  this  herculean  task. 
Many  years  ago  they  went  far  beyond  the  transmission  of  information  through 
the  mails,  and  utilized  the  service  for  the  transmission  of  materials.  The 
United  States  has  been  doing  the  same  thing  since  1863,  but  only  to  a  limited 
degree.  Mr.  Meyer  now  wants  this  country  to  catch  up  a  little. 

WILL  HAVE  BILL  DRAWN. 

That  is  why  he  is  trying  to  awaken  the  people  to  what  he  wants.  He  expects 
to  speak  in  Philadelphia,  Chicago,  and  other  cities  about  the  parcels  posts, 
and  by  the  time  Congress  is  here  will  have  a  bill  drawn.  It  will  be  introduced 
early  in  December,  and  will  cover  the  changes  the  Postmaster-General  intends 
recommending  in  his  annual  report.  These  wdll  be  the  admission  to  the  mails 
of  parcels  of  a  maximum  weight  of  11  pounds  at  12  cents  a  pound  (4  pounds 
is  now  the  maximum  at  16  cents  a  pound)  ;  and  a  local  service  on  rural  deliv¬ 
ery  routes  at  5  cents  a  pound,  with  2  cents  for  every  additional  pound  u])  to 
11.  This  local  service  wdll  be  confined  to  each  rural  route,  and  can  not  be  ex¬ 
tended  beyond  it.  Mr.  Meyer  believes  this,  if  adopted,  will  make  the  rural 
delivery  of  mail  self-sustaining,  and  the  postal  service  as  a  whole  would  prob¬ 
ably  yield  a  surplus. 

Postmaster-General  Wanamaker  first  actively  urged  the  establishment  of  a 
parcels  post  on  a  large  scale.  He  summed  up  the  situation  epigrammatically 
in  his  100  reasons  for  it  and  only  4  reasons  against  it — those  4  being  the 
express  companies.  Others  after  him,  especially  the  late  Postmaster-General 
Bissell,  made  like  recommendations.  But  Mr.  Meyer  now  has  an  advantage 
in  his  campaign  w’'hich  none  of  his  predecessors  had  in  the  rural  delivery  routes. 
Every  one  of  the  many  thousands  of  routes  would  be  a  little  parcels  service 
in  itself,  aside  from  being  a  line  of  communication,  by  which  small  packages 
could  be  conveyed  from  all  parts  of  the  country  or  to  any  part  of  the  country. 
Mr.  Meyer  is  building  much  upon  that  fact.  The  local  service  at  cheaper  rates 
will  also  protect  the  local  storekeepers,  to  which  the  big  department  stores 
and  mail-order  establishments  are  bogeys. 


PEOPOSED  EXTENSION  OF  PARCEL  POST. 


9 


ASKS  NO  RADICAL  STEP. 

If  he  can  carry  his  recommendations  through  and  persuade  Congress  to  en¬ 
act  them  into  law  it  may  be  that  he  will  have  effected  a  greater  advantage 
to  the  country  than  is  likely  to  follow  from  any  other  transportation  statute 
of  the  last  decade.  Parcels  post  enthusiasts  at  least  think  so,  drawing  their 
conclusions  from  observations  of  the  service  in  Europe. 

“  I  shall  not  urge  any  radical  step,”  said  the  Postmaster-General  recently, 
in  explaining  his  plans.  “  I  only  want  the  present  service  extended  toward 
such  a  domestic  parcels  post  as  we  already  have  by  postal  treaties  with  a  num¬ 
ber  of  foreign  countries.  A  service  that  the  Government  gives  its  own  people 
with  those  abroad  is  none  too  good  for  us  at  home. 

“  The  extension  proposed  would  enable  the  Department  to  ascertain  how 
far  we  can  safely  go,  and  also  to  adapt  itself  gradually  to  new  requirements. 
It  is  a  large  business  proposition.  We  do  not  know  how  much  additional 
equipment  would  be  needed  eventually.  Probably  the  equipment  on  the  rural 
routes  would  be  nearly  adequate  for  the  local  and  general  parcels  service.  In 
the  cities  it  might  be  otherwise.  But  by  making  a  comparatively  small  exten¬ 
sion  of  the  service,  we  could  determine  whether  it  would  be  advisable  to  go 
farther.  I  shall  only  indicate  in  my  annual  report  a  belief  that  the  establish¬ 
ment  of  a  local  parcels  service  in  the  big  cities  would  be  advisable,  but  shall 
not  urge  the  incorporation  of  that  feature  into  law  at  present. 

“  I  anticipate  opposition  to  this  improvement  of  the  postal  service,  but  I  be¬ 
lieve  it  will  not  be  influential  after  the  details  have  been  explained.  I  regard 
the  apprehensions  of  the  small  storekeepers  as  without  foundation.  That  has 
been  the  case  in  European  countries,  where  the  same  kind  of  opposition  has 
shown  itself  at  times.  The  local  service  on  the  rural  routes  at  lower  rates  will 
give  the  local  dealers  an  advantage.” 

SEEKS  experts’  VIEWS. 

Postmaster-General  Meyer  is  taking  pains  to  collect  the  opinions  of  postal 
experts  on  his  recommendations.  He  will  have  the  views  of  a  large  number  of 
postmasters  long  before  Congress  convenes.  They  are  being  invited  to  present 
whatever  objections  they  may  see  and  also  to  offer  practical  suggestions. 

Ever  since  he  announced  his  intention  of  urging  a  better  pracels  post  service 
for  the  United  States,  the  Postmaster-General  has  been  the  recipient  of  many 
letters.  These  come  from  various  classes  of  people.  Most  of  them  commend 
his  plan,  but  the  retail  associations,  such  as  the  associations  of  hardware  men 
and  grocers,  come  out  in  bold  opposition.  It  is  such  people  as  these  that  the 
Postmaster-General  hopes  to  convert  when  they  are  brought  to  understand  the 
details  of  what  he  wants  to  do.  Some  of  these  critics,  besides  claiming  that 
the  legislation  would  favor  the  catalogue  houses,  argue  that  the  Government 
should  not  go  into  a  general  freight  business  and  that  if  the  express  companies 
are  charging  exorbitant  rates,  the  Interstate  Commerce  Commission,  which  now 
has  authority  over  them,  should  step  in  and  require  that  the  rates  be  lowered. 

The  operations  of  parcels  post  in  other  countries  make  a  very  interesting 
transportation  chapter.  They  are  conducted  on  a  gigantic  scale  and,  apart  from 
what  J.  Henniker  Heaton,  long  an  English  member  of  Parliament  from  Can¬ 
terbury,  and  a  great  advocate  of  postal  reforms,  calls  “  grandmotherly  regula¬ 
tions,”  have  worked  with  practically  world-wide  success.  Shopping  by  mail 
is  made  easy,  whether  one  in  the  country  would  trade  with  the  local  draper  or 
the  big  metropolitan  merchant. 

FACILITATED  BY  TELEPHONES. 

An  extension  of  parcels  posts  in  the  United  States  would  be  enormously  facili¬ 
tated,  as  the  matter  is  viewed  at  the  Post-Office  Department,  by  the  prevalence 
of  telephones.  Farmers  and  culturists  now  have  them  the  country  over.  Tele¬ 
phone  wires  have  followed  in  the  wake  of  the  rural  free  delivery  wagon.  The 
postage  is  now  too  expensive  and  the  limit  of  the  package  too  small.  But  in¬ 
stead  of  a  4-pound  package  for  16  cents,  let  there  be  a  11-pound  package  for  25 
cents  and  the  rural  routes  will  do  a  rushing  business.  Rural  patrons  will  tele¬ 
phone  to  town  for  half  the  things  they  want — for  hardware,  groceries,  and  dry 
goods — and  in  turn  will  be  sending  to  town  butter,  cheese,  eggs,  and  vegetables. 
A  great  saving  of  time  in  many  branches  of  industry  will  be  possible  under  the 
general  extension  that  Mr.  Meyer  wants.  It  would  be  a  boon  to  manufacturers 
of  a  great  variety  of  small  articles.  The  Postmaster-General  refuses  to  con- 


10  PROPOSED  EXTENSION  OF  PARCEL  POST. 

sider  whether  this  would  injure  the  express  companies.  He  approaches  the 
matter  purely  as  a  parcels  post  extension  that  should  give  postal  patrons  a 
quicker  and  cheaper  service. 

Great  Britain’s  conservative  enactments  will  likely  be  a  model  for  any  ex¬ 
tension  of  the  parcels  post  service  by  Congress.  The  service  is  almost  twenty- 
five  years  old  over  there.  It  has  become  one  of  the  most  important  and  highly 
appreciated  postal  features.  Its  growth  has  been  continuous  and  phenomenal. 
The  scope  has  frequently  been  broadened.  There  was  an  early  clanlor  for  an 
agricultural  parcels  post.  The  owners  of  small  farms  in  remote  localities 
wanted  it.  The  growers  of  spring  flowers  in  Kerry  said  it  would  enable  them 
to  compete  with  the  south  of  France  and  the  Scilly  Isles.  Eventually  the  agri¬ 
cultural  parcels  post  was  authorized  and  also  spacious  dimensions  for  pack¬ 
ages.  Flower  growers  can  now  send  full  length  orchid  spikes  and  long-stemmed 
roses  by  post,  where  formerly  only  simple  blooms  were  admissible. 

SEND  FISH,  EGGS,  AND  FRUIT. 

The  produce  of  the  culturists  goes  forward  to  London  and  other  big  English 
cities  in  tremendous  volume.  Fresh  fish,  dispatched  from  seaport  towns  to  the 
large  hotels,  are  delivered  with  celerity.  Meats,  cheese,  fruits,  vegetables,  and 
freshly  laid  eggs  in  mail  packages  under  the  11-pound  limit  form  a  very  consid¬ 
erable  factor  in  the  commerce  of  the  Kingdom. 

The  general  rates  are  low.  A  1-pound  parcel  takes  a  threepenny  stamp.  That 
is  6  cents  in  our  money.  For  2  pounds  an  8-cent  stamp  is  required ;  for  3 
pounds,  a  10-cent  stamp;  for  5  pounds,  12  cents;  for  7  pounds,  14  cents;  8 
pounds,  16  cents;  9  pounds,  18  cents;  10  pounds,  20  cents,  and  11  pounds,  22 
cents.  Four-pound  parcels  cost  as  much  as  5  pounds,  and  6  pounds  cost  as  much 
as  7  pounds.  For  inland  parcels  3  feet  6  inches  is  the  maximum  length ;  6  feet 
the  maximum  measurement  for  length  and  girth.  These  have  been  adopted  as 
standard  dimensions  in  the  services  of  numerous  other  countries.  Parcels 
should  not  be  posted  at  a  letter  box,  but  presented  at  the  counter  of  a  post- 
ofllce.  The  Government  virtually  guarantees  the  sender  against  loss  up  to  $10. 
Payment  of  a  registry  fee  of  4  cents,  in  addition  to  the  regular  postage,  insures 
the  parcel  for  $25;  a  25-cent  registry  stamp  carries  an  insurance  of  $1,000. 
There  have  been  demands,  not  yet  conceded,  for  the  cash  on  delivery  system  that 
several  European  countries  have  adopted. 

The  big  retail  stores  of  London  avail  themselves  extensively  of  the  parcels 
service  for  delivery  of  goods.  The  rates,  ranging  from  6  to  22  cents,  are  not 
prohibitive.  In  many  cases  the  Government  service  is  cheaper  and  quicker. 
Laundries  return  washing  by  parcels  post.  In  Germany,  where  the  rates  are 
even  cheaper,  lads  away  at  school  send  their  soiled  linen  home  by  mail  to  be 
washed,  and  it  is  returned  to  them  by  the  same  conveyance. 

POSTED  LIVE  BABY. 

Many  curiosities,  as  well  as  staple  articles  of  trade  and  foodstuffs,  are  car¬ 
ried  in  British  parcels.  A  live  baby,  it  is  said,  was  posted  in  London  not  long 
ago  and  promptly  delivered  at  its  destination.  A  mouse  was  brought  all  the 
way  from  India,  where  the  parcels  post  has  been  developed  much  more  than  in 
England.  Several  kinds  of  live  animals,  including  bees,  are  accepted,  if  “  prop¬ 
erly  packed.” 

Sydney  Buxton,  the  postmaster-general  of  Great  Britain,  in  his  last  report, 
statistically  demonstrates  the  continuous  growth,  and  consequently  the  popu¬ 
larity,  of  the  parcels  post  in  the  United  Kingdom.  The  number  of  parcels  de¬ 
livered  in  the  country  districts  of  England  and  Wales  in  1896-97  was  41,512,000, 
and  increased  annually  by  from  3  to  6  per  cent,  till  in  1905-6  the  number  was 
66,277,000.  In  the  London  district  for  the  same  ten-year  period  the  increase 
was  from  11,229,000  parcels  to  18,167,000.  A  similar  increase  was  shown  for 
Scotland  from  6,802,000  to  10,725,000  parcels,  and  for  Ireland,  where  the  in¬ 
crease  was  from  4,172,000  in  1896-97  to  6,513,000  in  1905-6. 

The  gross  amount  of  revenue  the  Government  collected  increased  from 
£1,445,126  for  63,715,000  parcels  in  the  United  Kingdom  the  first  year  of  the 
decade  to  £2,138,673  for  101,682,000  parcels  in  the  last  year  of  the  decade.  The 
post-office’s  share  of  these  collections  increased  from  £763,307  to  £1,142,224.  The 
average  postage  per  parcel  decreased  during  the  period  from  about  11  cents  to 
10  cents.  The  postmaster-general  undertakes  to  deliver  both  letters  and  parcels 
at  every  house  in  the  Kingdom.  They  are  delivered  by  the  same  postman, 
except  in  the  large  towns,  wffiere  there  is  a  special  staff  for  parcel  work. 


PROPOSED  EXTENSION  OF  PARCEL  POST. 


11 


CALL  SWISS  SERVICE  BEST. 

Because  of  competition  from  private  agencies,  that  have  charges  graduated 
on  a  basis  of  distance,  there  is  a  tendency  for  an  unduly  high  proportion  of 
long-distance  parcels  and  parcels  for  delivery  in  rural  districts,  which  are  the 
least  remunerative.  The  post-office  has  met  this  competition  by  establishing, 
for  comparatively  short  distances,  a  large  number  of  horse  and  motor  parcel 
van  services,  as  road  conveyance  for  these  distances  makes  possible  an  economy 
as  compared  with  conveyance  by  railway  at  the  charge  of  55  per  cent  of  the 
receipts. 

The  Swiss  service  is  cited  much  as  one  of  the  most  efficient  and  satisfactory 
in  Europe.  The  mountain  villages  and  resorts  of  that  industrious  little  country 
receive  a  large  portion  of  their  supplies  by  post,  as  a  maximum  weight  of  110 
pounds  is  carried  within  a  radius  of  62  miles.  The  conditions  there  are  some¬ 
what  the  same  as  with  the  dwellers  in  the  Appalachian  and  Blue  Ridge  moun¬ 
tains,  to  whom  it  has  been  declared  that  a  parcels  post  would  be  a  great  boon 
because  there  is  no  prospect  that  either  the  railroads  or  the  express  companies 
will  ever  approach  their  hamlets  and  villages. 

This  Swiss  law  includes  an  agricultural  parcels  post  and  likewise  a  passenger 
post,  agitation  for  both  of  which  has  generally  followed  the  establishment  of 
parcels  post  in  most  countries.  The  passenger  post  of  Switzerland  is  something 
like  the  mail  coaches  in  the  United  States  before  the  coming  of  railroads,  ex¬ 
cept  that  the  coaches  are  owned  by  the  State  and  the  fees  are  prescribed  by 
the  same  authority.  A  very  large  business  is  done  in  sending  parcels  through 
the  mails.  A  treasury  official,  who  was  traveling  in  Switzerland  during  the 
past  summer,  saw  at  one  railroad  station  several  enormous  baskets  filled  with 
hams  and  provisions.  They  were  samples  of  mail  parcels  under  the  110-pound 
limit. 

CASH  ON  DELIVERY  PLAN. 

The  general  rates  are  more  liberal  than  in  any  other  country.  A  parcel 
weighing  1  pound  is  carried  anywhere  within  the  boundaries  of  the  Federation 
for  3  cents,  a  5-pound  parcel  for  5  cents,  a  11-ponnd  parcel  for  8  cents,  a  22- 
pound  parcel  for  17  cents,  a  33-pound  parcel  for  23  cents,  and  a  44-pound  parcel 
for  33  cents.  Parcels  weighing  as  much  as  110  pounds  are  carried  within  a 
radius  of  62  miles  for  60  cents,  which  enables  many  of  the  peasants  to  market 
much  of  their  light  produce  by  mail.  The  rates  are  so  adjustable  that  house¬ 
wives  can  secure  anything  by  post  from  a  paper  of  pins  to  a  bag  of  flour.  The 
V.  P.,  or  value  payable,  system  is  a  part  of  the  Swiss  postal  arrangements,  so 
that  the  purchaser  can  pay  for  his  goods  on  delivery,  and  there  is  but  one 
financial  transaction  connected  with  the  purchase  as  far  as  he  is  concerned.  A 
provision  for  delivery  makes  the  service  all  the  more  attractive. 

Belgium’s  parcel  post  has  even  a  higher  weight  limit  than  Switzerland,  for 
it  accepts  articles  of  62  kilograms,  or  about  132  pounds,  in  one  package,  and 
puts  no  limit  upon  the  size,  except  that  unwieldy  packages  are  subject  to  an 
extra  charge  of  50  per  cent.  But  up  to  five  kilograms,  which  is  the  conven¬ 
tional  11-pound  limit  of  a  majority  of  the  parcels  post  countries,  the  charge  is 
50  centimes,  or  10  cents;  for  10  kilograms  12  cents,  and  two  cents  extra  for 
every  additional  10  kilograms  (22  pounds).  A  higher  charge  is  made  in  Bel¬ 
gium,  as  in  several  other  European  countries,  if  the  parcel  is  to  be  carried  on  an 
express  train.  It  amounts  to  six  cents  for  five  kilograms.  The  fee  for  deliver¬ 
ing  at  residence  is  six  cents  additional. 

Germany  and  Austria  maintain  the  50-kilogram  limit.  The  first  named 
country  enforces  the  50  per  cent  extra  charge  for  unwieldy  articles.  It  also 
has  what  is  called  the  zone  system.  For  conveyance  10  geographic  miles  the 
charge  is  six  cents  (25  pfennigs),  and  13  cents  (50  pfennigs)  for  greater  dis¬ 
tances.  If  the  parcel  weighs  more  than  11  pounds  there  is  a  charge  of  one  cent 
(five  pfennigs)  for  each  additional  kilogram  carried  10  miles,  10  pfennigs  for 
20  miles,  20  pfennigs  for  50  miles,  30  pfennigs  for  100  miles,  40  pfennigs  for  150 
miles,  and  50  pfennigs,  approximately  13  cents,  for  more  than  150  miles.  The 
same  rate  of  charges  applies  in  Austria. 

A  TABLE  OF  CHARGES. 

The  French  parcels  post  law  requires  presentation  at  the  railroad  station. 
Some  other  European  countries,  like  Great  Britain,  require  it  to  be  delivered  at 
the  postoflice.  The  French  maximum  weight  is  10  kilograms  (22  pounds)  with- 


12 


PROPOSED  EXTENSION  OF  PARCEL  POST. 


out  any  restriction  as  to  size.  The  postage  rates  are  12  cents  up  to  3  kilo¬ 
grams;  16  cents  up  to  5  kilograms,  and  30  cents  up  to  10  kilograms.  These 
rates  hre  for  delivery  at  a  railroad  station.  An  extra  fee  of  25  centimes  (5 
cents)  is  charged  for  delivering  the  parcel  at  the  residence  of  the  addressee. 

A  table  of  the  parcels  post  charges  of  several  countries  follows.  It  shows 
the  maximum  weight  carried,  the  minimum  charge  collected,  and  also  the 
charge  for  an  11-pound  package,  the  limit  for  many  of  the  parcels  post  countries. 


Maximum 
weight  of 
parcel. 

Minimum 
charge  for  a 
parcel. 

Australia 

11 

$0.12 

.06 

.10 

Austria _ 

Rplgiiim _ 

110 

132 

Uhilp  _ 

11 

.10 

Uiiha 

11 

.10 

France _ _  _ _ 

22 

.  .12 

ocruiiiny»-««. _ _ _ _ _ _ 

(rreat  Britain 

11 

•  UO 
.06 

Italy _ _  _ _ _ _ 

11 

.12 

Switzerland 

110 

.03 

The  Netherlands _  _  _ _ 

11 

.06 

United  States _ 

4 

.01 

Charge  for 
11  pounds. 


$0.72 

.12 

.16 

.17 

.46 

.16 

.18 

.22 

.20 

.08 

.10 

1.32 


Certain  of  the  figures  in  the  table  are  only  approximately  correct.  The  11- 
pound  rate  for  a  Belgium  parcel,  for  instance,  is  put  down  at  16  cents  as  that  is 
the  rate  for  carriage  by  express  train,  which  perhaps  more  nearly  compares  with 
mail  trains  in  the  United  States.  By  slow  train  11  pounds  go  for  10  cents. 
Perhaps,  also,  an  extra  charge  of  6  cents  for  delivery  should  be  counted  in  the 
Belgium  figures  for  purposes  of  fair  compensation  because  much  of  the  mail  in 
the  United  States  is  delivered. 

AVERAGE  DISTANCE  GREATER  HERE. 

In  the  figures  for  the  United  States  it  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  mini¬ 
mum  charge  of  1  cent  is  for  an  ounce  and  that  the  rate  of  16  cents  a  pound, 
which  it  amounts  to,  might  be  better  for  a  comparative  table;  also,  that  it  is 
impossible  to  send  11-pound  parcels  by  mail  in  the  United  States,  except  when 
they  are  to  go  abroad  to  certain  countries  with  which  parcels  post  conventions 
have  been  concluded. 

In  a  general  way  the  table  indicates  that  the  cost  in  Great  Britain  or  the 
Continent  for  sending  an  11-pound  parcel  is  in  the  vicinity  of  20  cents.  The 
minimum  charge  is  sometimes  for  a  pound,  as  in  the  case  of  Great  Britain,  and 
sometimes  for  several  pounds,  as  11  pounds  for  10  miles  in  the  case  of  Ger¬ 
many ;  or  up  to  7  pounds  as  in  the  case  of  Italy.  The  great  disparity  in  rates 
is  apparent,  as  is  the  fact  that  Mr.  Meyer’s  proposition  of  a  12-cent  per  pound 
rate  is  comparatively  very  high. 

Certain  elementary  items  of  cost  enter  into  the  service  of  European  countries 
that  would  not  be  identical  with  the  maintenance  of  a  similar  service  in  the 
United  States.  In  Germany  a  considerable  mileage  of  the  railroads  is  state 
owned.  They  carry  certain  parcels  in  the  mails  without  compensation.  In 
large  sections  of  Europe  there  has  never  been  anything  like  adequate  service 
by  express  companies,  and  in  the  absence  of  business  enterprises  in  establish¬ 
ing  such  transportation  the  people  have  been  compelled  to  look  to  their  govern¬ 
ments  for  relief.  The  cheap  rates  for  parcels  post  there  were  originally,  in 
some  part,  intended  as  an  accommodation  for  the  poorer  classes. 

The  distances  for  transportation  are  less  and  the  population  is  denser.  The 
United  States  is  225  times  larger  than  Switzerland,  60  times  larger  than  Eng¬ 
land,  17  times  larger  than  Germany,  12  times  larger  than  the  three  countries 
combined.  In  England  the  average  distance  a  letter  or  mail  package  travels  is 
40  miles ;  in  Germany  it  is  42  miles ;  in  the  United  States  it  is  said  to  be  542 
miles. 

DIFFICULT  TO  ESTIMATE  COST. 

No  accurate  information  is  available  as  to  whether  the  European  parcels 
posts  are  in  reality  self-supporting.  They  certainly  are  nearly  so,  and  in  some 
instances  are  regarded  as  profitable  government  ventures.  Everywhere  the 
service  is  characterized  by  prompt  transmission  and  prompt  delivery.  The 


PROPOSED  EXTENSION  OF  PARCEL  POST. 


13 


percentages  of  loss  are  very  small.  The  several  national  constituencies  that 
have  a  parcels  post  system  would  no  more  relinquish  such  privileges  than 
American  cities  would  relinquish  electric  lights  or  automobiles.  One  European 
enthusiast  pronounced  the  establishment  of  the  parcels  post  “a  service  to  man¬ 
kind  only  less  splendid  than  that  of  the  transmission  of  thought.” 

In  England  it  is  claimed  the  parcels  post  service  would  be  a  source  of  profit 
but  for  the  amounts  paid  to  the  railroads  for  transportation,  the  share  of  55 
per  cent  of  the  receipts  being  regarded  as  exorbitant.  Generally  the  parcels 
post  is  so  joined  with  the  rest  of  the  mail  service  that  its  entire  cost  can  not 
be  counted. 

The  international  business  has  grown  to  enormous  proportions.  The  figures 
collected  at  Berne  for  1004,  in  connection  with  the  Postal  Union,  show  that  the 
parcels  mailed  across  the  frontiers  of  36  nations  and  colonies  that  year  num¬ 
bered  something  like  38,000,000.  The  small  percentage  of  that  total,  where  the 
value  was  declared,  showed  an  aggregate  of  about  $162,000,000  worth  of  prop¬ 
erty.  In  that  list  the  United  States  would  have  stood  about  eleventh  on  the 
showing  for  the  fiscal  year  of  1906,  when  264,438  parcels  of  an  average  weight  of 
2§  pounds  were  sent  from  this  country  abroad.  Tunis  sent  more  according  to  the 
figures  than  the  United  States.  Germany,  leading  all  other  nations  both  in 
the  dispatch  and  receipt  of  parcels  in  international  mails,  sent  a  total  of  11,675,- 
385,  of  w’hich  11,343,516  were  classed  as  ‘‘  ordinary,”  and  331,869  were  “  with 
a  declared  value  ”  of  $23,352,378.  Austria,  enjoying  close  postal  relations  with 
Germany,  dispatched  10,659,300  parcels  to  other  countries,  of  which  1,082,430 
had  a  declared  value  of  $68,396,578. 

HAS  BECOME  GREAT  FACTOR. 

The  totals  of  “  receipts  ”  and  “  dispatches”  of  course  balance  for  the  36 
countries  in  question,  but  are  not  the  same  for  each  country  represented.  The 
rank  in  parcels  dispatched  runs ;  Germany,  Austria,  France,  Hungary,  Great 
Britain,  Switzerland,  Italy,  Belgium,  Netherlands,  Tunis,  British  India,  Bosnia- 
Herzegovina,  Russia,  Denmark,  Luxemburg,  Japan,  and  Egypt;  in  parcels  re¬ 
ceived  the  order  is :  Germany,  Hungary,  Austria,  Switzerland,  France,  Italy, 
Great  Britain,  Belgium,  Russia,  Netherlands,  Denmark,  Roumania,  Spain,  Bos- 
nia-Herzegovina,  Sweden,  Norway,  Luxemburg,  Tunis,  and  so  on.  Switzerland 
in  1904  received  across  her  borders  2,788,406  parcels  by  post,  of  which  2,635,090 
were  “  ordinary  ”  and  133,316  were  declared  of  a  value  of  $9,863,886.  Of  6,352,- 
360  parcels  that  came  over  the  Austrian  frontier,  778,380  had  a  declared  value 
of  $64,788,927.  Germany  received  7,337,404  parcels  in  international  mails,  of 
which  482,472  had  a  declared  value  of  $35,901,435.  The  parcels  received  by  post 
in  the  United  States  during  the  fiscal  year  1906  from  abroad  were  recorded  as 
131,064,  of  an  average  weight  of  2.73  pounds.  Probably  the  actual  number  was 
much  larger,  perhaps  twice  as  large. 

Sufficient  figures  have  been  given  to  indicate  what  a  great  factor  the  parcels 
post  has  become  in  the  trade  of  the  world.  The  value  of  the  merchandise  thus 
transported  can  only  be  roughly  estimated,  but  it  will  probably  exceed  half  a 
billion  dollars  annually. 

This  business  is  transacted  across  frontiers,  causing  little  or  no  friction  with 
customs  officers.  Boxes  with  declared  value  are  subject  to  the  legislation  of 
the  country  of  origin  or  destination  as  regards  payment  of  stamp  duties  on 
articles  exported  and  as  regards  the  control  of  stamp  and  customs  duties  on 
articles  imported.  The  stamp  duties  and  charges  for  examination  by  customs 
officers  involved  in  the  importation  are  collected  from  the  addressees  when  the 
articles  are  delivered. 


PROVISION  FOR  INSURANCE. 

Practically  the  same  rules  apply  for  all  parcels  post.  There  is  provision  for 
insurance  and  also  for  “  trade  charges,”  which  latter  term  means  that  goods 
can  be  sent  c.  o.  d.,  the  maximum  value  being  f.lOOO.  The  limit  of  weight 
is  5  kilograms,  or  11  pounds.  The  cost  of  conveyance  comprises  a  charge  of 
10  cents  for  each  country  participating  in  the  territorial  transit,  a  graduated 
distance  tax  for  sea  conveyance  and  extra  rates  for  cumbersome  parcels,  and 
may  be  increased  under  certain  conditions  by  delivery  fees  and,  in  case  of 
declared  values,  by  insurance  fees.  Weights  under  2  pounds,  however,  are 
transported  for  a  maximum  of  1  franc.  Special  forms  are  provided  for  reg¬ 
istering  for  customs  declaration,  for  certificate  of  prepayment,  when  that  is 
desired,  and  for  trade  charges. 


14 


PROPOSED  EXTENSION  OF  PARCEL  POST. 


Tlie  United  States  is  not  a  party  to  this  comprehensive  parcels  post  conven¬ 
tion,  by  which  a  vast  quantity  of  merchandise  is  carried  to  different  parts  of 
the  world  annually,  but  Argentina,  Bolivia,  Chile,  Colombia,  Guatemala,  Uru¬ 
guay,  and  Venezuela  are  among  the  signatories.  But  the  United  States  has 
parcels  post  conventions  with  33  different  countries  on  some  what  different  but 
fairly  liberal  terms.  It  keeps  the  postage  for  parcels  it  sends  to  other  countries 
and  they  in  turn  retain  the  postage  on  parcels  sent  here.  That  saves  in  book¬ 
keeping  and  has  been  found  economical,  whereas  the  more  comprehensive  con¬ 
vention,  under  which  most  of  the  European  and  Asiatic  countries  operate,  di¬ 
vide  the  postage  receipts  pro  rata.  The  United  States  wull  not  transmit  through 
its  mails  parcels  en  route  from  one  foreign  country  to  another.  Among  the 
latest  parcels  post  conventions  the  President  has  ratified  under  statute  author¬ 
ity  are  those  with  Sweden,  Peru,  Denmark,  Ecuador,  and  Bermuda. 

CUSTOMS  EASILY  COLLECTED. 

The  popularity  in  this  country  of  the  parcels  post  is  well  demonstrated  by 
the  great  growth  in  the  use  of  international  facilities.  The  dispatches  from  this 
country  for  the  fiscal  year  ending  June  30,  1905,  amounted  to  560,228  pounds 
and  for  the  year  ending  June  30,  1906,  was  721,164  pounds,  an  increase  of 
28.73  per  cent.  Only  one-fifth  of  the  dispatches  of  the  last-mentioned  fiscal 
year  went  to  Europe,  which  indicates  that  a  good  share  of  the  parcels  business 
was  with  Mexico  and  Central  South  America.  Parcels  for  Germany,  Hongkong, 
Japan,  Norway,  Belgium,  Great  Britain,  Sweden,  and  Denmark  are  accepted 
only  for  a  maximum  weight  of  4  pounds  and  6  ounces,  where  the  maximum 
weight  for  the  other  countries  with  which  the  Postofiice  Department  now  has 
conventions  is  11  pounds. 

The  customs  officials  say  that  the  parcels  post  business  with  foreign  countries 
is  increasing  by  leaps  and  bounds.  Within  recent  months  better  facilities 
for  the  collection  of  customs  dues  have  been  inaugurated,  with  the  result,  it  is 
said,  that  many  packages  which  hitherto  passed  without  being  noted  are  now 
being  examined  and  recorded.  There  are  offices  of  exchange,  so  called,  in 
several  of  the  larger  post-offices  of  the  United  States  where  customs  officials 
are  stationed  to  attend  to  the  collection  of  duties  on  these  parcels  from  abroad. 
In  the  Washington  City  post-office  this  foreign  parcels  post  business  is  said  to 
have  increased  300  per  cent  within  the  last  twelve  months.  The  Treasury  De¬ 
partment  keeps  about  25  customs  employees  now  on  duty  at  the  New  York 
City  post-office  to  attend  to  the  foreign  parcels  post  business  which  goes  through 
that  office.  Dutiable  packages  to  minor  offices  are  handled  from  exchange  offices. 
Such  mail  addressed  to  Plymouth,  Mass.,  for  instance,  would  be  held  till  the 
addressee  had  forwarded  to  the  postmaster  at  Boston  the  amount  of  duty  re¬ 
quired. 


INSPECTORS  ON  WATCH. 

The  customs  officials  find  no  serious  difficulties  in  the  enforcement  of  the 
laws  with  reference  to  the  foreign  parcels  post.  There  was  at  first  some  abuse 
of  the  privileges  which  the  parcels  conventions  offered,  but  the  obstacles  that  the 
customs  inspectors  encounter  are  minor  ones,  and  the  Treasury  Department 
expects  they  will  be  eliminated.  Many  of  them  have  already  disappeared  under 
the  new  regulations  for  “  mail  importations  ”  which  were  issued  last  March. 

The  inspectors  are  on  the  watch  for  parcels  that  happen  to  be  sent  from 
countries  with  which  the  United  States  has  arrangements  solely  under  the 
universal  postal  con\'ention.  Commercial  papers  not  exceeding  4  pounds  and  6 
ounces  in  weight  and  samples  of  merchandise  not  exceeding  12  ounces  may  be 
brought  here  under  that  convention,  but  parcels  are  tabooed,  and  subject  the 
sender  to  a  fine.  Parcels  from  countries  having  parcels  post  conventions  with 
the  United  States  are  inspected  for  dutiable  articles,  but  fines  are  not  imposed 
except  for  articles  such  as  cigars  and  cigarettes  that  are  put  up  in  illegal 
quantities.  A  declaration  of  the  dutiable  articles  is  required  with  each  parcel. 

Anything  as  bulky  as  a  box  containing  a  new  spring  hat  can  be  sent  to  most 
of  the  American  countries  or  colonies,  ranging  from  Newfoundland  to  the 
Danish  West  Indies  and  Chile,  under  existing  parcels  post  conventions.  With 
a  few  exceptions,  parcels  can  be  sent  to  those  American  countries  of  a  maxi¬ 
mum  length  of  3  feet  and  6  inches  and  of  a  maximum  length  and  girth  com¬ 
bined  of  6  feet.  The  rate  is  12  cents  a  pound  or  fraction  thereof.  Registry 
costs  8  cents  in  addition  thereto. 


PROPOSED  EXTENSION  OF  PARCEL  POST. 


15 


TO  MAKE  PEOPLE  REALIZE. 

The  customs  officials  likewise  inspect  another  class  of  mail  importations — 
those  which  come  under  existing  postal  conventions  with  Canada,  Mexico,  Cuba, 
and  the  Republic  of  Panama.  No  declaration  of  contents  and  value  is  required 
from  those  countries  and  everything  is  admitted  that  is  allowed  under  the 
postal  laws  of  the  country  where  the  mail  originated. 

The  legislation  that  Postmaster-General  Meyer  has  in  mind  comes  home  to 
practically  every  household  in  the  United  States.  There  is  hardly  a  family  in 
all  the  land  that  would  not  find  it  a  decided  convenience  at  times.  If  Mr. 
Meyer  succeeds  in  making  the  people  realize  this  and  the  arguments  for  the 
improvement  of  the  service  become  generally  understood,  no  opposition  can 
prevail  against  it.  Congress  will  be  quick  to  see  the  virtues  of  a  better  parcels 
post,  and  the  new  law  will  be  enacted  with  a  whoop. 


•  Exhibit  7. 

[From  Government  for  December,  1007.] 

Omaha,  Nebr.,  October  25,  1901. 
George  v.  L.  Meyer,  Postmaster-General,  Washington,  D.  C. 

My  Dear  Sir  :  Your  communication  of  October  18  received,  for  which  I  thank 
you.  I  am  sending  you  herewith  some  editorial  comments,  collected  from  a 
number  of  trade  papers.  These  may  be  of  interest  to  you.  The  Trade  Exhibit, 
I  am  pleased  to  state,  is  the  first  trade  paper  in  the  United  States  to  approve 
your  position  as  to  a  parcel  post.  During  the  past  four  years  I  believe  I  have 
circulated  more  antiparcel-post  literature  than  any  other  individual  in  the  United 
States.  All  my  work  has  been  directed  against  the  establishment  of  any  parcel- 
post  system  that  would  be  unfair  to  the  retail  merchants,  and  which  might  be 
considered  a  subsidy  to  the  mail-order  system  of  business,  and  by  making  a  rate 
much  lower  than  cost  of  transportation  to  the  Government  would  tend  to 
concentrate  business  in  districts  where  the  price  of  labor  is  the  lowest. 

I  inclose  you  a  little  pamphlet  which  I  prepared  two  years  ago.  It  is  only 
one  of  the  many  like  articles  that  I  prepared  for  circulation,  and  which  formed 
the  basis  of  the  antiparcel-post  articles  appearing  in  numerous  trade  journals. 
I  also  delivered  many  addresses  before  commercial  bodies  and  merchants’  organ¬ 
izations  in  Nebraska,  Colorado,  Kansas,  and  other  Western  States.  I  would  still 
continue  to  oppose  a  widening  of  our  parcel-post  system  did  I  believe  that  it 
would  be  injurious  to  those  sections  of  our  country  which  are  now  undergoing 
development. 

After  a  most  careful  study  of  the  plan  you  propose,  I  can  not  discover  a  single 
objection  that  can  be  based  upon  sound  economics.  Rather,  a  parcel-post  exten¬ 
sion,  as  you  propose,  will  be  helpful  to  enterprising  retailers,  and  will  assist  in 
the  building  up  of  home  industries  in  the  so-called  agricultural  towns.  Should 
any  effort  be  made,  when  your  proposition  be  laid  before  Congress,  to  have  a 
lower  rate  instituted  than  that  which  you  propose,  I  will  use  what  little  infiu- 
ence  I  have  in  opposing  such  a  move. 

Assuring  you  what  little  support  I  can  give  to  the  plan  that  you  propose  will 
be  given,  I  beg  to  remain, 

Yours,  respectfully,  Omaha  Trade  Exhibit, 

Per  D.  M.  Carr,  Editor. 


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